Dude, all the threads you start, and your worries about fighting and wepons......Just where in the HE!! do you hang out, and how big of an a$$hat do you act like when you get there, that you're so worried? Maybe you should try hanging out in a new neighborhood, or a new group of friends. I'm 34 years old, and have never swung so much as a punch, in my life. I go out every weekend, and have a good time with my friends. I come from Youngstown, Ohio, the murder capital of Ohio. I'm thinking you need to seriously reconsider you attitude.

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A man works hard all week, so he doesn't have to wear pants all weekend.

Weaze is right, a lot of it is attitude. I tend to run my mouth when I'm drinking, or at least have in the past. Since I started training kung fu, I'm a lot more calm and easy going. Fighting really isn't something I see myself doing or getting myself into. But sometimes, no matter how calm or easy going you are, there's some a$$hole that just wants to fight someone and he happens to pick you, even if you're not offending him in anyway. That's when it's good to know a martial art. Also when someone attacks a friend or family member of yours; you can deal with the situation accordingly instead of just standing there, scared.Unfortunately I haven't been training kung fu lately...been wanting to do other things for the moment. I'm sure my sifu is pissed at me.

Weaze is right, a lot of it is attitude. I tend to run my mouth when I'm drinking, or at least have in the past. Since I started training kung fu, I'm a lot more calm and easy going. Fighting really isn't something I see myself doing or getting myself into. But sometimes, no matter how calm or easy going you are, there's some a$$hole that just wants to fight someone and he happens to pick you, even if you're not offending him in anyway. That's when it's good to know a martial art. Also when someone attacks a friend or family member of yours; you can deal with the situation accordingly instead of just standing there, scared.Unfortunately I haven't been training kung fu lately...been wanting to do other things for the moment. I'm sure my sifu is pissed at me.

I've only gotten close to a fight once. A guy was walking his dog, leash law, but no leash, he was a quarter mile away. My kids were threatened by his dog so after trying a couple different things, I raised/cocked my leg, the dog knew what that meant and backed off. He came screaming over accusing me of kicking his dog. He was going to lay a roundhouse right (mistake) on me, and properly decided to back off. End of confrontation. All I saw was him in pain on the ground at my feet.

Weaze is right, a lot of it is attitude. I tend to run my mouth when I'm drinking, or at least have in the past. Since I started training kung fu, I'm a lot more calm and easy going. Fighting really isn't something I see myself doing or getting myself into. But sometimes, no matter how calm or easy going you are, there's some a$$hole that just wants to fight someone and he happens to pick you, even if you're not offending him in anyway. That's when it's good to know a martial art. Also when someone attacks a friend or family member of yours; you can deal with the situation accordingly instead of just standing there, scared.Unfortunately I haven't been training kung fu lately...been wanting to do other things for the moment. I'm sure my sifu is pissed at me.

I've only gotten close to a fight once. A guy was walking his dog, leash law, but no leash, he was a quarter mile away. My kids were threatened by his dog so after trying a couple different things, I raised/cocked my leg, the dog knew what that meant and backed off. He came screaming over accusing me of kicking his dog. He was going to lay a roundhouse right (mistake) on me, and properly decided to back off. End of confrontation. All I saw was him in pain on the ground at my feet.

What? From missing you when he threw his punch? What a dope...

Damn it Gordon, I don't know how many times I have to see that clip from Indiana Jones. The dude trained his entire life to get awesome with a sword and Indy pulls out his gun...argh! "It's just a movie, Jesse, calm down..."

... those of us who fight with our hands are occasionally disadvantaged.

The need for ground fighting is the reason why MMA guys incorporate wrestling, or a similar system of ground fighting, into their training program. If you're wanting a system similar to Silat, but which also includes some kicking and ground-fighting moves, take a look at Kali/Escrima/Arnis.

I'm not much of a martial arts guy, but I'd also say that for practical self-defense, your first weapon shouldn't be the stick; that's an invitation to aggravated assault/attempted murder/manslaughter charges. Better to use a hand strike, lock, sweep and/or throw as your first line. That is, assuming you can't walk away or defuse the situation.

Damn it Gordon, I don't know how many times I have to see that clip from Indiana Jones. The dude trained his entire life to get awesome with a sword and Indy pulls out his gun...argh! "It's just a movie, Jesse, calm down..."

... those of us who fight with our hands are occasionally disadvantaged.

I'm not much of a martial arts guy, but I'd also say that for practical self-defense, your first weapon shouldn't be the stick; that's an invitation to aggravated assault/attempted murder/manslaughter charges. Better to use a hand strike, lock, sweep and/or throw as your first line. That is, assuming you can't walk away or defuse the situation.

This right here. You can't just go around getting into fights, it might just mess up your whole life if you don't know how to control your skill/power/martial art. If you absolutely have to punch someone in defense, your target area should be from the chin up to the nose, as my Sifu tells me. That's where the lease costly damage is done...but if you punch someone in the cheek bone or eye area (when you know how to punch with relaxed power and skill) you will crush bone. No kidding. But teeth and nose are easily fixed, eye bones and cheek bones are not.

I've known plenty of "martial artists" who would have been wiser to avoid a conflict. They ended up seriously hurt outside the confines of their school. All their knowledge and training availed little. Their overconfidence did them more harm than the training helped. Simply not prepared for the vicious reality of fighting no matter how much sparring was done.

I put it all behind me an eschew violence.

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The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

ccarlson

I've known plenty of "martial artists" who would have been wiser to avoid a conflict. They ended up seriously hurt outside the confines of their school. All their knowledge and training availed little. Their overconfidence did them more harm than the training helped. Simply not prepared for the vicious reality of fighting no matter how much sparring was done.

I put it all behind me an eschew violence.

I agree. Street fighting isn't anything like a competition with rules.